Cheap Airfares Flights Travel
Bargain Strategies for Cheap Airfares, Flights, Travel, Hotels and Rentals.
It seems that everyday the battle for traveler’s dollars
shifts from one side to the other. First, the airlines take the advantage
by
standardizing rates, adding surcharges for things like fuel and filling
a higher percentage of their seats. Then, the traveler takes the lead
by utilizing state of the art travel search web sites and group pricing
to find lower fares.
The shear volume of people and companies looking to save money in travel
makes it difficult for a very competitive airline industry to take
a foothold and push up fares.
This battle rages beyond just cheap airfares, flights, travel transportation
to cruise lines, hotel rooms and every aspect of travel.
The challenge for consumers is the overwhelming amount of travel information
available. It makes it difficult to know a cheap airfare when you see
it…for fear that there might be a better deal right around the
corner.
The good news is that if you find a good deal, not only can it save
you money on travel, it can give you money to enjoy your vacation even
more.
Save $100 on a flight, use that money to get a shiatsu massage. Find
a round-trip flight to Singapore for $400, use that saved cash to stay
on holiday for another week.
 6 Tips to finding Cheap Airfares, Flights, Travel Bargains and Discounts.
Although there is no guaranteed formula to finding cheap airfares,
flights, travel bargains and discounts, these strategies put you
in the best position
to save a bundle.
1. Book Early. Each airline is a bit different, but generally they consider
advance travel to be at least 15-21 days ahead of travel. Booking early
can save a considerable amount on your airfare.
2. Don't be afraid to ask for a travel discount or upgrade. You may
think your $500.00 fare wasn’t a bargain—until you talk the
counter rep in to upgrading you at no charge. Many counter reps can negotiate
to get your business.
3. Fly during the week or ON the holiday. Getting to grandmother’s
house ON Thanksgiving Day will save you a bundle versus flying on the
Wednesday before.
4. Cheap Airfares are a lot easier to find on flights that aren’t
as full. As a general rule, flying during the middle of the day or late
at night will save you money over flying during rush hour. Expect to
pay a premium at 5:00 on Friday afternoon when business travelers are
trying to get home for the weekend.
5. Create an Internet Travel Search strategy. OK, maybe a “strategy” sounds
too serious, but if you want to save serious money, don’t fool
around. Aimlessly searching the web can waste time and end up costing
you money. Follow this order when searching on line to create the best
travel “apples to apples” strategy.
a. Airlines: Visit your preferred airline web site first. This will
give you an idea of “rate card” fares, flight times and availability.
b. Travel Sites: Orbitz, Travelocity and Expedia are a great way to see
what’s out their and they may offer the most competitive fares.
c. Aggregators: A new breed of travel website called an aggregator hit
the scene in the last year or so. They are tools that search for fares
on OTHER sites. It’s the quickest way to see what’s out there-
and they allow you to book your travel directly on the airline’s
site. Visit sites like Mobissimo, Kayak and Sidestep to take advantage
of this technology.
6. Empty Seat Brokers. There are a number of “under the radar” empty
seat brokers that are perfect for the aggressive bargain travel shopper.
The biggest bargains are definitely international. These folks require
a flexible itinerary, but can save literally thousands of dollars. AirHitch
is one of our favorites. How about Boston to London from $126.00. Awesome.
Use these strategies to find cheap airfares flights travel deals and
more.
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2006 |
